Reading Answers
For George Bilgere
My wife and I are listening to the son
of a one-lunged-opera singer, the one
time star pupil of Howard Nemerov, read.
The students seated around us, now pleased
with the ease with which they’ll earn
their extra credit, begin to unfold and relax.
They lean into his words. When he knows
he has them, he sets the hook and begins to reel
them in by asking if they know which woman
of myth might have taken the bite out
of the logo on the back of his laptop.
Cocksure future comparative lit majors
reply, Eve! While this shy kid behind us
whispers, No, Snow White. I look at my wife.
We try to stifle our laughter, while up from the back
of my mind trudges Nemerov’s poem Poetics
in which he wrote that poetry is the business
in which one mistake can be redeemed by the next.
So now I’m thinking this kid might have a future,
granted not one with a tenure track, but in weaving
the threads of tales into postmodern poetry .
Because look, I know my wife and I
wouldn’t have lasted, and Snow White
would still be under glass. Hell, none of us
would even be here, if Eve hadn’t been able
to teach Adam just how much could be
made right in the simple act of one good kiss.
Alan Berecka is a librarian who lives near Corpus Christi, Texas. His poetry has been published various outlets including the Christian Century, Ruminate, The Blue Rock Review and Right Hand Pointing. He has authored two collections of poetry: The Comic Flaw (NeoNuma Arts, 2009) and Remembering the Body (Mongrel Empire Press, 2011). For those interested in more information about the poet and his work, check out www.alanberecka.com. He is excited to be included in inaugural posting of Cybersoleil and wishes everyone involved success.
